Signal switch



"Sept. 15 1931. H. v. cox

I SIGNAL SWITCH Filed Dec. 30. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor A iiorney H. V. COX

SIGNAL SWITCH Sept. 15, 1931.

Filed Dec. 50, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 By am @620.

A ttomey Patented Sept. 15, 1931 HOWARD VEST COX, OF LARUSSELL, MISSOURI SIGNAL SWITCH This invention appertains to new and useful improvements in slgnal switches.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a signal circuit maker and breaker which will permit the driver giving the signal, to always keep his hands on the steering wheel during the actuation of the circuit maker and breaker.

During the following specification and claims, several important objects and advantages of the invention will readily become apparent to the reader.

In the drawings Fig. 1 represents a diagrammatic view disclosing the connection between the electrical devices employed.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the modified steering wheel.

Fig. 3 is a bottom wheel.

Fig. 4 represents a top plan view of the conductor ring mounted on the di-electric body.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of one of the spring carried contacts.

Fig. 6 represents a sectional View taken substantially on the line 77 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 represents a fragmentary perspective view of one of the actuating bars.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the rockable pawls.

Fig. 9 represents a perspective view of one of the spring carried contacts.

The novel circuit maker and breaker is co operated in a modified steering wheel, generally referred to in the drawings by numeral 13. This steering wheel includes the annular rim 14 connected to the outer ends of the spokes 15 which radiate from the hub structure 16. The hub structure 16 obviously has the steering shaft 17 secured thereto while the housing 18 therefore is stationary.

The hub structure 16 is hollow at its under side as at 19, for receiving the di-electric circular body 20. The body 20 is reduced at two points adjacent its upper end to provide the shoulders 21 and 22 upon which the conductor rings 23 and 24 respectively are mounted.

r As is clearly shown in Fig. 2, the rings are transversely beveled and each is provided plan View of the steering with a shank 25 for disposition through an opening in the body 20. Each of these shanks 25 is provided with threads to which may be applied a nut 27. Thus the shanks are employed as binding posts to which the con- 5i ductors of the circuit may be connected.

The body 20 may be secured to the housing 18 in any suitable manner desired.

I t will be noted that a pair of the spokes 16 are provided with longitudinally extendmg bores 28 for the slidable reception of rods 29. As the same means is provided for actuating each movable contact, the mechanism for actuating one of the contacts will be described, and will suffice for both.

It will be noted that the contact aforementioned is in the form of a cylindrical block 30 having a reduced extension 31 at one end which has been constructed with a spiral grooving 32 to receive several convolutions of the coiled spring 33. The inner end of the bore 28 opens at the pocket 19 and at this point is located the contacts 30 while the spring 33 is disposed within the bore 28.

The outer end of the spring 33 bears against the inner end of the rod 29, while the outer end of the rod 29 connects to the actuating bar 34. The outer end of this bar 34 is preferably curved and milled as at 35, while a notch 36 is provided at its intermediate portion. The bar 34 is slidable within the counter-bore 37 and interposed between the inner end of the bar 34 and the inner end of the counter-bore 37, is a compressible spring 38 for normally maintaining the bar 34 projected outwardly in substantially the position shown clearly in Fig. 2.

The outer end of each of the aforementioned'spokes is provided with a pocket 39 for partly receiving a rockable pawl 40, the inner end of which is provided with an up wardly disposed tooth ll for engagement in the notch 36 of the bar The outer end of the rockable pawl 40 is provided with a depending button 42 in which a recess 43 is located. A compressible spring 44 has its lower end portion seated within the recess 43, as in the manner shown in Fig. 2, while its upper end impinges against the adjacent portion of the rim 14.

spoke,

ductor ring In Fig. 1 it can be seen that the numeral 45 denotes a battery, grounded at one side, and havin its opposite side connected in multiple with the bulbs46 of the signal boxes and the pilot or tell-tale bulbs 47. The numerals l8 and 49 generally refer to the right and left ridges or circuit ma rers, which have been heretofore described, and which are clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The conductor rings are grounded as is apparent in Fig. 1. V 7

It will thus be seen that when one of the bars 34 is slid inwardly, the compression of the spring 33 will result in the displacement of its contacts against the corresponding conductor rings 23 or Ql for grounding the particular side of the system shown in Fig. 1. The pawl will engage in the notch 36 to retain the bar 34 and when the termination of the signal is desired, an upward pressure on the button 42 will release the pawl so that the spring '38 will retract the bars 34.

WVhile the foregoing description specifically sets forth the invention, obviously various it changes in the shape, size, and materials, may

be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. In combination with a steering wheel assembly including a column, a steering shaft extending through the column and a steering wheel secured to the shaft receiving the upper end of the column, said wheel having a hub provided with an annular pocket in its lower face and a hollow spoke and a rim provided with a bore communicating with the hollow of a di-electric supporting body surrounding the column and received wholly within the pocket, a conductor ring on the outer face of the supporting body, and a slide rod mounted in the hollow spoke having its inner end terminating adjacent to the confor movement into and out of the pocket, an operating handle extending through the bore of the rim and beyond the outer face of the rim of the steering wheel, and spring means on the rod and housed within the hollow spoke normally urging the handle eXteriorly of the rim and the rod out of the pocket away from said conductor ring. 2. In com bination with a steering wheel assembly including a column, a steering shaft extending through the column and a steering wheel secured to the shaft receiving the upper end of the column, said wheel having a hub provided with an annular pocket in its lower face and a hollow spoke and a rim provided with a bore communicating with the hollow spoke, of a dielectric supporting body sur rounding the column and received wholly within the pocket, a conductor ring on the outer face of the supporting body, and a slide rod mounted in the hollow spoke having its inner end terminating adjacent to the conductor ring for movement into and out of the pocket, an operating handle extending through the bore of the rim and beyond the outer face of the rim of the steering wheel, and spring means on the rod and housed with in the hollow spoke normally urging the handle exteriorly of the rim and the rod out of HOWARD VEST 

